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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24796648">Sanctuary for All</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ToTheStarsWriting/pseuds/ToTheStarsWriting'>ToTheStarsWriting</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Dragon Wars [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shadowhunters (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Dragons, BAMF Alec Lightwood, BAMF Magnus Bane, Dragon Riders, Everyone has dragons, Fantasy World, High Warlock of Brooklyn Magnus Bane, Hurt Alec, Magnus Bane Is Quite Magical, Protective Jace Wayland, Talk of War, Valentine is still evil, dragon lore, talk of off-screen violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 11:06:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,100</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24796648</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ToTheStarsWriting/pseuds/ToTheStarsWriting</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Magnus Bane had been running his dragon sanctuary for longer than most people who came there had been alive. He’d been running it since the first dragon wars, offering a sanctuary and shelter for those on the run from the Hunters who sought to hunt dragons into extinction. It'd survived that, just as it survived the second wars as well.</p><p>But one night, an unexpected guest touched down at the edge of his wards. Magnus had no idea who or what he was about to find there, or how it was going to change his life.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alec Lightwood &amp; Jace Wayland, Magnus Bane &amp; Catarina Loss</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Dragon Wars [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1793539</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>320</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Tales of Malec &amp; Dragons</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Sanctuary for All</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Magnus Bane had been running his dragon sanctuary for longer than most people who came there had been alive. He’d been running it since the first dragon wars, offering a sanctuary and shelter for those on the run from the Hunters who sought to hunt dragons into extinction. It stayed, better hidden and warded than any other place, backed by magic that made damn sure no one would be able to find them, and tucked into a valley hidden in mountains that only a dragon would be able to access.</p><p>The Sanctuary survived through the first wars, and it was still there during the second when Valentine and his crusade almost completely wiped dragons off the face of the earth. This time around, Valentine had managed to get more humans on his side. Mundanes that sought the ‘glory’ that came from slaying a dragon.</p><p>Magnus and his own dragon - a darkfire who, much like her Rider, had more power in her than she looked - hadn’t just watched the wars go by. They’d made the Sanctuary and put the best healer Pair they knew in charge of it. Catarina and her small healer white, Besla, took care of those that came to them seeking help or sanctuary.</p><p>Magnus and Rhea? They went and <em>fought</em>. They were the pair that went out and answered the distress calls. They rescued countless dragons and their bonded riders from the hands of Hunters.</p><p>The two of them were well suited for war. They were powerful, more so than they appeared. They had a deeper bond than any other Rider pair out there. Most Pairs were able to share strength, thoughts, occasionally even ride one another’s senses – though that was rare. But Magnus and Rhea shared all of that and more.</p><p>They shared <em>magic</em>.</p><p>All dragons were innately magical. Their very existence was magic. Depending on their type, they could use their magic for various things – fire, ice, electricity, light, so on and so forth. There were so many types of dragons out there. But Rhea was unique, and she was strong. She was borne of fire and darkness – a being of both creation and destruction. The kind of power Rhea carried in her was more than anyone could understand, and by the strength of their bond, Magnus carried that same power.</p><p>It made the two of them perfect to set up this sanctuary, and equally perfect to go out and rescue dragons who needed their help but couldn’t make it to them.</p><p>Magnus and Rhea had just finished yet another of their trips. Though the wars were officially over, that didn’t mean that people didn’t still need their help. Many dragons were out there hiding, as were quite a few Pairs, trying to keep themselves safe while Valentine’s people were rounded up. Without their leader, they weren’t as strong of a force, but there were whispers. Rumors that one of Valentine’s sons was going to step up and take his place.</p><p>Until everyone knew for sure, playing it safe was the best bet. Magnus and Rhea went out as often as they could to try and find those that needed a place to hide but were too scared to come out.</p><p>They’d just brought back a young girl by the name of Madzie and her young dragon, a happy little sea dragon by the name of Ttu, who liked to spend most of his time curled around her neck or resting on her shoulder. The two didn’t talk much. From what Magnus had been able to tell when he’d found them, hiding away under the floorboards of a broken-down house, it was likely that Hunters had gone in there and slaughtered her family in an attempt to find her. It was equally clear that Madzie and Ttu had likely done damage of their own before anyone could truly hurt them.</p><p>It broke Magnus’ heart to think of that little girl and young dragon with blood on their hands. Madzie’s continued silence was no surprise. But she was opening up little by little.</p><p>Magnus watched her from where he was perched in a char at one of their long, outdoor tables. She was sitting by the lake watching as Ttu played in the water. Though Madzie wasn’t speaking, she was smiling, and that was a beautiful sight to see. She also wasn’t flinching away from anyone for the first time since Magnus had brought her here. And at the moment there were a lot of people around.</p><p>The Sanctuary was a massive place – it had to be, to house as many dragons as it did. Not all of them came here, thankfully. There was another sanctuary that Magnus had helped to set up. One that was run by a very old, very dear friend of his by the name of Ragnor.</p><p>Having two meant that it was easier to distribute dragons so that neither place was overrun.</p><p>Still, it meant that their places needed to be large, and both definitely fit the bill.</p><p>This place had been specially chosen in a thick mountain range. They’d searched around to find the spot easiest to access, best suited for their needs, and finally found one that was close to what they wanted. High up enough no one could creep up on them, with towering mountains all around it, they’d found a small valley in the middle of the mountain range. A canyon that was almost invisible until they were on it.</p><p> It’d taken two weeks to get it set up for them. With the help of both Ragnor and Catarina, and a lot of magic on Magnus and Rhea’s parts, they carved out a little more of the mountains and shored up the massive stone walls. Then they laid down every ward and illusion they could think of until the place was as secure as they could make it. No one could enter without touching a dragon – a willing guest, which was a tricky bit of magic that had almost exhausted Rhea and Magnus both when they added it in – or without a special talisman.</p><p>A river ran through their canyon, spreading out and feeding into the lake, and then trickling down to disappear into the stone. They had caves built into the walls here and there for nests.</p><p>They had one large, sprawling building for all their human needs, with a massive kitchen and a common area, as well as a few odd bedrooms. Some of the smaller dragons liked going into the human bedrooms with their Rider. But more often than not, they just went and camped out in their cave with them.</p><p>All in all, the sanctuary could house about forty to fifty dragons at any given time, though the numbers fluctuated. At the moment, they only had twenty-three adults and seven kids. And they were all currently taking advantage of the warm night to spend some time together and relax.</p><p>Magnus shifted his gaze away from Madzie and over to Rhea, who he noticed had situated herself close to the little girl. <em>You keeping an eye on our new one, dear heart?</em> Magnus asked her.</p><p>He felt the low rumble of amusement that reverberated down their bond. Rhea didn’t even bother to look away from her watch. She just stayed where she was, laying on the dirt, and flicked her tail Magnus’ direction. Though they were quite a distance away from one another – a much farther distance than most could manage and still keep up a telepathic conversation – their voices were easy and clear in one another’s minds. <strong><em>Someone needs to look out for her. The others make her nervous, and she likes my presence.</em></strong> Unsaid yet still heard was the fact that very few were <em>comforted</em> by Rhea’s presence.</p><p>She was a massive dragon with a lot of strength clear in her legs and chest. Most of her was a deep, dark red, so dark in some spots it almost looked black, but there was a hint of her inner fire that peeked through. Around some of the scales, there was occasionally a hint of an orange glow. Like the fire she carried in her was glowing bright enough to peek through the cracks. Spikes decorated down her back and to the very tip of her tail, which ended in two hard triangles that could smash or tear through quite a bit.</p><p>There was a small gap between some that Magnus easily fit into at the base of her neck. No horns marked her head like some dragons, but her nose bore one like a point sticking up from a small plate. A couple more spines hid underneath her chin, softer than the others – less dangerous when they weren’t on fire.</p><p>In Magnus’ eyes, she was the most beautiful dragon he’d ever seen.</p><p>Vain little thing that she was, she rolled her head a bit and let her wing flutter as she readjusted, giving him a better view of the warm glow of her scales in the dark of the evening.</p><p><strong><em>Like you’ve got any room to talk about vanity</em></strong>, Rhea sent back sarcastically.</p><p>Magnus grinned over at her. <em>We’re quite the pair, you and I.</em></p><p>Their conversation was interrupted by a low, amused huff from Catarina beside him. Magnus broke his focus to look over at his companion. The two of them were set up together in chairs at a circular table meant for two. They had drinks with them, and a bowl of nuts to snack on. It was meant to be a relaxing night for them and everyone else. Magnus was taking the chance to unwind with his friend and catch up with any gossip he might’ve missed while gone.</p><p>“Do I want to know what Rhea’s saying to you that has you puffing up like a peacock?” Catarina asked in dry amusement. A soft laugh came from the white dragon head lying in her lap.</p><p>Besla, the little white that Catarina was paired with, was a healer dragon. A perfect match for Magnus’ friend. She was about the size of a horse and was all white except for little blue accents here and there. She bore no spikes, no horns, only the claws on her feet and sharp teeth – a healer, not a fighter. Yet Magnus knew she was fully capable of defending herself and anyone else around her. Being a healer meant knowing all the places that could cause the most damage with the least amount of work, as she liked to point out when people questioned her.</p><p>Magnus rolled his head a little so he could flash a grin at one of his oldest and dearest friends. “I was simply admiring Rhea’s beauty. She looks truly gorgeous in this light.”</p><p>That wasn’t an opinion many shared, Magnus knew. In light like this, it was far easier for people to mistake Rhea for something a lot more sinister. They’d been called demons many times in their lives.</p><p>Catarina, however, had known them far too long to be truly scared of them, though even she’d been a bit afraid at first. Now, she looked over and smiled at Rhea, amusement lighting up her eyes when she what it was Rhea was doing. “She is beautiful,” Catarina agreed readily. Then her eyes lit up with good humor, and she slanted an amused look Magus’ way. “And just as soft a touch as you are.”</p><p>All of a sudden, something pinged at the edge of Magnus’ senses, and his head shot up. All of his focus went internal as he tried to figure out what that touch was. He didn’t notice as Rhea mimicked his move.</p><p>The touch was faint, barely there. Far softer than it should’ve been. Magnus looked up and caught Rhea’s eye across the field. She was already moving toward him.</p><p><strong><em>What is that? I can barely feel them!</em></strong> Rhea demanded.</p><p>Magnus rose up from the table and walked away, not even paying any attention to Catarina, or any of the others that had stopped to watch. All his focus was on Rhea, and on their wards. <em>Maybe they’re hurt?</em></p><p>The idea that maybe there was a dragon out there seeking sanctuary that was so hurt they were only barely even registering to them was enough to have Magnus moving faster. He closed the last bit of distance between him and Rhea while calling out to the others. “Catarina, get the med bay ready, we might be coming in fast. Raphael, Simon, you’re with me.”</p><p>Everyone snapped to in an instant. Magnus didn’t bother looking back to make sure they followed. He knew they would.</p><p>It took only seconds for Magnus to grab the saddle and mount. He and Rhea did it in one smooth move well practiced by many battlefield runs. Then, with a flap, they were taking off into the night sky.</p><p>Magnus felt the others rising into the air behind him, easily falling into formation, and he knew he could trust them to have his back while Rhea guarded him against everything else. That meant Magnus was free to reach out and try to not only assess where this touch was coming from but anything else that he might be able to sense before they got there. This didn’t feel right. Something about that touch sent a chill down Magnus’ spine.</p><p>He wasn’t sure what they would find when they finally reached the open bit of mountain where he’d felt the touch against his wards. Whatever it was, it wasn’t <em>Jace fucking Herondale </em>– the man raised by Valentine only to discover later he belonged to one of the oldest Rider lines in existence – to be standing there. Magic swirled to life in Magnus’ hands as he and Rhea came down for a hard landing. Her fire was already spreading over her, flames licking against Magnus without ever burning him.</p><p>To his credit, Jace didn’t flinch at their arrival. His eyes never left them, but he didn’t flinch.</p><p>The others landed off to the sides and just behind Magnus. He ignored them, glaring down at the bastard child of the man who’d almost destroyed them all. “How did you find us?” Magnus demanded. How the hell <em>had</em> he found them? And where was the dragon that Magnus had sensed? No one could get this far into their land without a dragon bond, or Magnus’ permission through the wards. And yet, here Jace stood, only a few steps beyond the wards. Almost like he’d stopped the instant he’d known he was through them and inside.</p><p>Magnus was stunned into silence when Jace maintained eye contact and slowly, carefully, sank down to one knee and then the other. He raised his hands up until they sat on top of his head. The position was one of perfect surrender. A show that he was unarmed and not there to fight. “I’m not here to cause trouble. I need your help.”</p><p>Magnus couldn’t help but laugh at that. The audacity of it! The sheer fucking <em>nerve</em>. He was here asking <em>them</em> for help?</p><p>“Why should we help you?” Raphael asked, his sneer evident in his voice.</p><p>“It’s not for me. It’s for my brother and sister.” Slowly, Jace turned his head, and Magnus found himself following his gaze.</p><p>It took a long moment to see what it was that Jace was looking toward. When Magnus finally caught sight of it, the faintest shimmer he only noticed because Rhea noticed, it was enough to have him sucking in a breath. What he had thought was just the darkness of the mountainside before…</p><p>…was a <em>dragon</em>.</p><p><em>Sweet merciless Lilith. </em>Even now that Magnus knew the dragon was there, they were still hard to see. Almost like the whole of the dragon blended in with the dark shadows of the night. Magnus couldn’t really tell anything beyond that it <em>was </em>a dragon. Shape, size, none of those were noticeable, and the faint ping Magnus and Rhea had registered on their wards was gone now.</p><p>“Please.”</p><p>Jace’s voice drew Magnus’ attention back over to him. He was still kneeling there, hands on his head. But it was his eyes that really drew Magnus’ focus. One blue, one green, they were like oceans of grief. They spoke of a soul-deep pain and a love for his siblings. They told as much of a tale as the dirt and blood that Magnus could see all over him. Blood that Magnus might’ve thought belonged to the dragon if Jace wasn’t here on his knees begging for their help.</p><p>“Please,” Jace repeated. “I know you have every right to hate me, and I swear, you can lock me up in whatever cage you think is necessary. Just <em>please</em>, help my family. They’ll die without you.”</p><p>If that dragon really was alive – and the Rider with them that Magnus was assuming was this brother or sister Jace spoke of – there was no way Magnus could turn them away. Not even when Raphael hissed “Magnus, this has to be a trap!”</p><p>“We don’t send any dragons away,” Magnus said firmly. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the way that Jace slumped at that. Relief stole so much of the tension from his body.</p><p>Just as quickly as it was gone, it came back again, and Magnus was surprised when Jace called out a quick “Wait!”</p><p>Magnus turned back to look at him full on once more, one eyebrow arched up in silent question. “We don’t exactly have time to waste here if you want them to get the help they need.”</p><p>Jace didn’t answer. Or, well, he didn’t answer Magnus directly. His intentions became clear when he turned toward the dragon without ever-rising and called out a low “Kyra. Kyra, listen to me. I know you don’t want to – trust me, I know – but I need you to uncurl for them a little. This guy… he’s here to help you. He’s here to help <em>Alec</em>.”</p><p>Those two names had Magnus, Raphael, and Simon all going still. Magnus knew his eyes were wide, yet he couldn’t help it. Not if the names Jace was using were real. Everyone in the world knew those two names. Others might share one of them, but none shared both, not like this. There was only one set – one Alec and Kyra.</p><p>“Alec?” Raphael repeated incredulously. “<em>Alec</em> <em>Lightwood?</em>”</p><p>The name was a legend amongst their kind. Most everyone in the Rider community knew his story. The boy who was raised up by Hunters, convinced he had to be one of them, only to find an egg on a raid and <em>bond</em> with it before it even hatched. And not just any egg, either. But the last of the nightstalkers. One of the oldest and deadliest breeds of dragons out there.</p><p>Alec and Kyra’s tale was full of countless horrors. If rumors were to be believed – even if one took those stories with a grain of salt – the things they’d been through were enough to have destroyed lesser beings. They’d gone from an unlikely Pair who found one another under horrifying circumstances, forced to hide their bond until they ran away, to two of the greatest warriors the world had ever seen. They fought in the second war, too young to have been involved in the first. So many of those battles had been won because of those two.</p><p>They led a fearless team that called themselves Shadowhunters. The group went after Valentine and his minions. They took out everyone who dared think of coming after dragons or anyone connected to them. They’d saved countless beings. Alec’s little sister Isabelle, who hadn’t bonded to anyone, had joined with them nonetheless. She’d fought many times at Alec’s side.</p><p>But it was Alec and Kyra who were the most well-known. Not just for what they’d done in the wars, but because they’d <em>ended</em> the war. They’d fought in the final battle, and though many debated what actually happened through most of that fight, they’d all been able to agree on one thing: it was Alexander Lightwood who’d fired the arrow that killed Valentine.</p><p>Their world owed this man a debt. One that maybe they could start repaying now.</p><p>“Just give them a second, please,” Jace pleaded with them. Then he looked back, and Magnus could see that the darkness where Jace had been staring was starting to grow a little clearer. It gained shape as it moved, drawing all eyes back to it. “That’s it,” Jace encouraged. “Come on, Kyra. They just want to help. No one’s going to hurt him here, I promise. This place is <em>good</em>. You know that. Everyone says it is. They’ll help him, and they’ll help you.”</p><p>Magnus watched as the dragon slowly took shape in front of him. Large wings unfurled ever so slightly, and a head drew up out of the darkness, silver eyes peeking out. They went to Jace first, still on the ground, and then ran over the others before settling on Magnus.</p><p>A small jolt ran down Magnus’ spine at that look. He felt Rhea shiver along with him. In it was something raw and broken. Whatever had happened to these two, it was bad. Very, very bad.</p><p>When Magnus started to dismount, Jace made a low sound. “Be careful with them, please. She’s most of the way toward feral right now. She’s keeping it together, but…”</p><p>But one wrong move toward her Rider and everyone here was going to be at risk for an excruciating, gruesome death. Nothing was more dangerous than a dragon protecting their bonded Rider. Especially when that Rider was already injured.</p><p>“I’m not going to hurt anyone,” Magnus said, his words just as much for Kyra as they were for Jace. He focused his attention solely on the dragon as he slid down off Rhea’s back and patted her neck, silently telling her to stay back but close. Then he took a slow, easy step forward. “I don’t know if you’ve heard of me, but my name is Magnus. Magnus Bane. My people and I run this Sanctuary that you’re at. All we want to do is help you and your Rider. No one is going to try and separate you or try to keep you here. You’re welcome to come and go any time you please. We won’t stop you.”</p><p>Kyra tilted her head, studying him with those shining eyes. Then, in a move Magnus hadn’t expected, she spoke in a low, silky voice as smooth and dark as the shadows around them. “And our brother? Will he be free to come or go with us?”</p><p>It took a second for Magnus to realize she was talking about Jace. <em>That’s what he meant by his brother and sister. He was talking about Alec and Kyra both.</em></p><p><strong><em>He had to be. I don’t sense anyone else around,</em></strong> Rhea sent back.</p><p>Valentine’s son, claiming a <em>dragon</em> as family! It was a puzzle Magnus was going to have to think about later. Preferably when he wasn’t in the middle of a life or death situation. For now, he did the only thing he could, and he nodded. “Even him. So long as he stays with you while he’s there. Though, I might post some extra guards.”</p><p>There was no point in even trying to lie to a dragon or hide things from them. Even if you succeeded, the repercussions when they found out the truth – and they <em>always</em> found out the truth – were not something anyone wanted to suffer. Few lived to tell the tale.</p><p>Magnus’ answer must’ve satisfied Kyra somehow. She nodded at him, and then straightened up just a little, and <em>woah</em>, she was <em>massive</em>. Far bigger than he would’ve guessed her to be. Bigger than Rhea, definitely. Even without fully standing, she towered over Magnus, staring down at him with those intense eyes. “My Rider needs medical attention.”</p><p>She drew up a wing, and once more, Magnus found himself gasping, though this time it was in sheer horror.</p><p>There, laying against Kyra’s side and under her wing, tucked up close like a hatchling in need of protection, lay a very still, very pale body. One that was wrapped in a blanket that, even in the dark, Magnus could see was clearly soaked in blood. What little bits of skin he was able to see showed more blood and quite a few bruises. But his face – the man had a pale face underneath all those marks, and hair almost as black as his dragon.</p><p>Magnus didn’t bother asking what happened. Stories like that could come later. For now, it was clear the man was injured, and if Magnus knew anything about dragons and bonded Pairs, he was willing to bet that Kyra was hurt, too. He was tempted to ask if she could make it through the flight into the valley. But the risk of offending her was too much. With her already so on edge, it just wasn’t a risk he was willing to take.</p><p>Her Rider, however, was a different story. “There’s no way he’s going to be able to make it back on his own,” Magnus pointed out to her.</p><p>Kyra nodded her head in agreement. “Jace will carry him. We stopped only to rest for a moment before moving further in. And I sensed your wards.”</p><p>They couldn’t lose any more time debating this. What little Magnus could see made it clear he needed to get them back to the Sanctuary as quickly as possible. Anything else could be figured out afterward.</p><p>Turning, Magnus made a quick gesture to Raphael to let him know to stand back. Then he told Simon, “Hurry back down there and let Catarina know what we’ve got coming so she can be ready.” Then he turned back around and waved Jace forward, glaring at him as he did. “Don’t make me regret this,” Magnus warned him lowly.</p><p>Jace nodded quickly, already scrambling to his feet and hurrying over toward Alec. Magnus took a moment to watch and make sure that he could handle this. It gave him a little insight into Jace, too, watching the gentle way that he squatted down at Alec’s side, how soft his touch was when he brushed a bit of hair back from Alec’s face. “Hey, brother. I know you’re tired, but we’re almost there, all right? We just gotta get you back up in the saddle for a few minutes, and then you’ll get to rest, okay?”</p><p>There was a hint of movement, and though Magnus didn’t hear Alec say anything, it was clear the man had spoken. Jace let out a low crooning sound. “Shh, shh, don’t worry, we’ll make sure Kyra gets taken care of, too. I’ve got your backs, brother.”</p><p>Jace’s love for his family was easy to read in every line of his body, every gentle touch of his hands. He was so careful as he picked Alec up and cradled him close despite the clear size difference between them. Kyra extended her leg, making a ramp, and she curled her wing in so that the bone of it rested against Jace’s back, bracing him as he climbed up toward the saddle. Magnus could see the straps that Jace pulled out to help secure them both in their seat.</p><p>Only when they were hooked in did Magnus finally move away and go back to Rhea. He hopped up onto her back, giving one last look over his shoulder. “Follow us – it’s a short flight, just a few minutes at most, and we should have the space to ourselves.” Catarina would know to make sure the area was clear if they were going to be dealing with a dragon so close to being feral. Hopefully, Simon also let her know Kyra’s size, and that they’d need to work in the outer tents so that Kyra could keep close guard while Catarina worked on Alec.</p><p>Together, the dragons took off into the sky, and though Magnus was tempted, he didn’t look back to watch them follow. He could hear Raphael and his dragon, Josiah, off to the left of him, and the faintest flap of wings that said Kyra had risen as well. Together, the group made their way toward the sanctuary.</p>
<hr/><p>Catarina had clearly been busy in the time since Simon had been sent back to her. She’d accomplished a lot in a short period of time. Almost all the dragons were gone, or at least out of sight. Likely they were tucked into their caves on high alert. They’d be prepared to come down if any trouble happened.</p><p>A sizeable three-sided tent was set up at the back of their medical building. It was the outdoor space Catarina used when Pairs were too volatile to be separated, or when a dragon needed some specialized equipment that required the magical electric hookups Magnus and Ragnor had painstakingly put into the building. She had a clean bed waiting, and was already scrubbed and gloved, her eyes lifted toward them as she waited.</p><p>Magnus and Rhea landed first, with Raphael and Josiah right behind them. That meant that Magnus was free to turn and look up to watch as Kyra came in for her landing.</p><p>She was hard to see. If it wasn’t for Jace’s golden hair shining so brightly on her back, Magnus actually might’ve missed her. She was like one of the shadows until she was suddenly there, landing almost silently.</p><p>Jace was immediately unhooking the straps around him and Alec. As he did, Catarina and Besla stepped away from the bed and walked toward them. They stopped just a few feet away and stood there, side by side, looking up at the dragon that was towering over them.</p><p>Catarina’s head probably came to the bottom of Kyra’s chest. There was a small hint of something written in her posture Magnus might’ve called fear, or he might’ve called respect. Chances were that it was a mix of both. Even Magnus could admit that Kyra was one hell of a sight to behold. “Hello there,” Catarina called up, her voice showing none of those fears. It was calm, collected, and professional. No one could ever say that Catarina didn’t know how to do her job no matter the circumstances. “My name is Catarina Loss, and this is Besla. We’re here to help you if you’ll let us.”</p><p>Kyra studied them, her eyes shining like stars, narrowed down on the two below her. “My bonded first.”</p><p>“Of course,” Catarina agreed.</p><p>Everything moved rather quickly after that. With Kyra’s permission, they were able to get Jace and Alec down from the back of her, and then Catarina was directing him to get Alec over to the bed. There, they laid him out and then began to draw the blanket off of him.</p><p>Magnus had seen victims of torture many, many times in his long life. What he saw as Catarina unveiled Alec Lightwoods body was still something that Magnus knew he wouldn’t ever forget. The sheer amount of damage had him wanting to go out and find whoever the hell had done this to another human being. Rhea sent a growl of agreement. <strong><em>What could he have done to deserve pain like this</em></strong>?</p><p>There wasn’t much time for Magnus to really get a glimpse at anything more, though. Catarina was in full nurse mode, and she didn’t hesitate to tell everyone to get back. Jace was banished, sent to stand by Kyra, who’d come over and was curling herself around this section of the building, cutting it off from the eyes of everyone else. Jace climbed up to sit in her saddle, watching from on high as his brother was cared for. It made it easier for Magnus and Raphael to stay and watch him, too.</p><p>None of them moved. Magnus and Rhea kept post near Kyra’s head while Raphael and Josiah stayed down near her back and tail. They weren’t there to watch Kyra, not anymore. She was clearly calming down the more that Alec was treated. Honestly, Magnus wasn’t entirely sure that Jace needed watching either. Not with how hyper-focused he was on everything happening below him.</p><p>Magnus took advantage of the moment to study Kyra a little, though. He’d never met another of her breed – wasn’t even sure that there were any around anymore. She was a mystery. A legend. Not just for her breed but for everything she’d done from the moment a young boy had found her egg.</p><p>It wasn’t hard to see how Kyra’s kind got their name. Everything about her was suited to the night. She was black from head to toe except for the silver of her eyes. If she closed them or shuttered them a little, she easily blended in with the dark. Magnus might not have known she was there if he hadn’t seen her land. She didn’t even register against his senses the way that most dragons did. Aside from her initial touch against the wards, Magnus could pick up nothing about her or from her.</p><p><strong><em>Her scent is muted, too</em></strong>, Rhea said, sounding just as confused by it all as Magnus was. Her eyes hadn’t once left Kyra. <strong><em>It’s like she’s shielding herself somehow</em></strong>.</p><p><em>Maybe that’s what their ability is</em>. Magnus had heard of stranger things. All dragons had some skills tied to the breed they came from. It would make sense that a nightstalker would be able to use the night to hide. Though Magnus wondered, was it just the night, or was it any kind of darkness? Could she do it during the day?</p><p>All of a sudden, Kyra’s head turned toward them, just enough for them to get a better view of her face. With the light from the nearby makeshift hospital room, it was a bit easier for Magnus to see some of her features. To make out some of the spikes and armored frills on her head and cheeks. He’d seen bits of spikes on the rest of her, but she was still shrouded in the dark.</p><p>“We’re no threat to you,” Kyra said suddenly, her voice low and as smooth as silk. She didn’t seem angry anymore or ready to fight. If anything, she looked exhausted and... resigned? Like this was a conversation she’d had many times before and was so sure of how it was going to go. “As soon as your healer is done with him and clears him to move, we will go.”</p><p>Magnus’ eyebrows shot up toward his hairline. He felt Rhea startle under him.</p><p>“No one’s kicking you out of here,” Magnus told her.</p><p>Up on her back, Jace gave a low scoff. His eyes never left his brother though it was clear his next words were directed to Magnus. “Everyone always kicks us out of everywhere. If not because of me, then because of them.” His voice darkened here, turning just a bit bitter. “It doesn’t matter how much these guys have done for everyone. People are too terrified of them to want them around when they’re not useful anymore.”</p><p>Kyra shrugged one shoulder like it was no big deal. Her wing shifted around, drawing a wince, and then resettled a bit more delicately against her side. “Few want the monsters to stick around once the dirty work is done for them.”</p><p>There was no way Magnus could keep back his wince. He knew that mindset far, far too well, as did Rhea. So many had thought her a monster – a beast of hell instead of a dragon. It was how Magnus had earned his battlefield nickname the Prince of Hell. The demon who’d tamed the hell-dragon.</p><p>“No one is going to kick you out of here,” Rhea said, choosing to speak out loud in a way she usually only did around those she knew and trusted well. Her voice was deeper than some, with a husky, smoky edge to it. It made her sound vaguely threatening even when she wasn’t trying to be.</p><p>Magnus laid a hand on the side of her neck and sent waves of love down their bond. “Rhea’s right. Everyone is welcome here.”</p><p>“You sure your people are gonna be okay with that?” Jace asked him, skepticism easy to hear.</p><p>Though the words were rude, it wasn’t hard for Magnus to hear the defensiveness in them. Something told him that Jace wasn’t feeling defensive of himself. He was ready and willing to protect his <em>family</em>.</p><p>A wide grin split Magnus’ face. “My boy, I’m the Alpha Rider of the Western Sanctuary. No one can tell me who I can and can’t give sanctuary to.”</p><p>Some of the tension on Jace’s face faded away at that. His smile was hesitant, slow, but real, and Magnus found himself wondering just how wrong the rumors were about this boy. No one who so clearly loved their family could be even half as bad as the stories made him out to be. Perhaps it was yet another case of someone being blamed for the sins of their parent. And no one understood that better than Magnus.</p><p>He was going to have to keep a watch on them, just in case. But that was true with any newcomers that were brought to the Sanctuary. Still, something told Magnus things were going to be okay this time. He felt Rhea’s agreement echo back at him. There was something about this trio that spoke to him. Time would tell them <em>why</em>.</p>
<hr/><p>It took hours for Catarina to finish with Alec Lightwood’s injuries. When she was done, he was more bandages than clear skin, yet the relieved set to Catarina’s shoulders told Magnus clearer than words that the boy was going to be okay.</p><p>However, when Catarina tried to turn her attention to Kyra, offering her help as well, the young dragon was quick to refuse.</p><p>Even Jace seemed surprised by that. “Kyra, you need help, too.”</p><p>“I will wait for my bonded,” Kyra said firmly. Her eyes flashed like the sun reflecting off a blade – bright and just as deadly.</p><p>Jace sighed, but he didn’t try and argue with her. “Okay.” He patted her neck, and then braced on the saddle so that he could slip down, dropping easily to the ground. Once he was steady, he focused directly on Catarina, and the kind boy that Magnus had glimpsed before was gone. At that moment, he was a soldier standing at attention. He looked at Catarina with a surprising amount of respect, dipping his head. “Ma’am. How soon do you think we’ll be able to move him?”</p><p>“Not for hours at the very least, preferably a day or two,” Catarina warned him immediately.</p><p>One corner of Jace’s mouth twitched like he was fighting back a smile. He slanted a look back at Kyra and that hint of a smile. “I’ve got three.”</p><p>Kyra snorted, a hint of white fire curling at her nostrils. “You have too much faith in him, and you underestimate his stubbornness. I’ve got one and a half, at the most.”</p><p>Laughing, Jace turned back around only to find Catarina giving him a curious look, her eyebrows drawn down. The sight of that look had Jace sobering a little. He straightened up again, once more the soldier. “Apologies, ma’am. My brother is… stubborn. If he stays down for longer than three hours, I’d be surprised. Unless you keep him asleep.”</p><p>“I’m hesitant to do anything to keep him asleep with the head injury I stitched up,” Catarina said, frowning as she did. She looked back at her patient in quiet speculation. “He really should stay there for the rest of the day. Even sitting up to eat is going to be painful.” Turning back, she focused her frown on Jace, and Magnus was a bit impressed that Jace managed to stay strong under that glare. Few people could. “Your brother is severely injured. He has several broken bones, multiple stitches, and bruising over most parts of his body. The fact that I didn’t have to open him up to fix anything is a miracle.”</p><p>“Yes, ma’am,” Jace agreed readily. Too easily.</p><p>Catarina gave him a narrow-eyed look. When Jace still said nothing, she let out a huff and walked away, Besla following after her.</p><p>A private, speaking look was shared by Jace and Kyra. Then Jace went forward, and he lowered the sidebars on the bed that Alec was in. Magnus didn’t even get a chance to voice any sort of protest. Before he could begin to form the words, Jace had already gently moved Alec's leg over a little and taken a seat at the foot of the bed, one leg curled up with him and the other dangling toward the ground. His hand curled over Alec's calf.</p><p>Much as Magnus wanted to, he didn’t drop down off of Rhea or come any closer. He didn’t want to risk setting Kyra off. Any dragon in her position would be on edge at the moment. The least Magnus could do was stay back and not stress her out any more than she already was.</p><p>There was no reason for him to stay here, either. It sounded like the group wasn’t going to be moving anytime soon. Magnus had plenty of time to head off, get Rhea and himself both something to eat, and then begin making arrangements for these three to stay. He was also going to have to deal with the people who caught sight of Jace and recognized him.</p><p>That guard he’d mentioned earlier was probably still a good idea. Not just for his people – just in case – but for them, too. A lot of the Pairs here had suffered at the hands of Valentine. While he’d like to think they could keep level heads, there was no telling what they might do when they caught sight of Valentine’s son. Biological or not.</p><p>Any chance of getting sleep was vanishing like smoke. Sighing, Magnus patted a hand against Rhea’s neck. <em>Come on, my dear. The longer we wait, the longer it’ll take us to get it done.</em></p><p>He wasn’t going to admit, not even to her, that a small part of him wanted to hurry and get things done so that they could come back. He wanted to be here when their mysterious guest finally woke up. Magnus was curious to see if the man lived up to the legend.</p><p>With one last look over at Raphael, who nodded his understanding, Magnus and Rhea took to the sky.</p><p> </p>
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